Articles: Department of Agricultural Economics and Extension

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Browsing Articles: Department of Agricultural Economics and Extension by Subject "Agro-ecological zones"

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    An Analysis of The Impact of Agro-Ecological Zones on The Influence of The Key Factors That Affect Food Security: The Case of The Embu County in Kenya
    (2017-08) Ndirangu, Samuel N.; Mbogoh, Stephen G.; Mbatia, Oliver L.E.
    This paper is based on the results of a study that was carried out to determine the impact of agro-ecological zones (AEZs) on the influence of the key factors that affect household food security through a case study in the Embu County of Kenya. The Embu County was chosen for a case study because it is endowed with most of the various types of AEZs found in Kenya. The three agro-ecological zones covered in the case study were the Sunflower-Zone (UM 4 and LM 3), the Coffee Zone (UM 1-3) and the Tea Zone (LH 1-2), based on [1] categorization of the AEZs in Kenya. The study analyzed and evaluated the food security data collected from 384 farm-households which had randomly been selected from the three AEZs in the Embu County using a 4-stage cluster sampling method. Household caloric acquisition method was used to compute a household food security index (HFSI) that was used to measure the household food security status. Previous studies had established that the key factors that influence food security in Kenya include farm size, access to and use of modern technologies in farming, access to agricultural extension services, farm household size, age and education level (literacy) for the head of household and household dependency ratio. This study found that the AEZs had a significant impact on the effects of the key factors that influence household food security in Kenya. The effect of farm size on food security was found to be positive in the Sunflower and Tea zones, but not in the Coffee Zone. Technology adoption was found to have a significant effect on food security in the Sunflower and Coffee Zones, but not in the Tea Zone. Access to agricultural extension was found to have a significant effect on food security in the Coffee and Tea zones, but not in the Sunflower Zone. Household size was found to have a significant effect on food security in the Sunflower and Coffee zones, but not in the Tea Zone. The dependency ratio was found to have a significant effect on food security in the Coffee and Tea Zones but not in the Sunflower Zone. The age of the household head and/or wife was found to have a significant effect on food security in the Tea Zone, but not in the Coffee and Sunflower Zones. The level of education for the head of the household was found to have a significant effect on food security in the Sunflower Zone but not in the Coffee and Tea Zones. On the basis of the study findings, it is concluded that the effects of the factors that influence food security vary by the AEZs. Therefore, AEZ-specific measures are recommended to enhance household food security in different areas of Kenya.
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    Evaluation of the Elasticity of Farm Output among Smallholder Farmers in Selected Agro-Ecological Zones of Embu County, Kenya
    (2018-07) Ndirangu, Samuel N.; Mbogoh, Stephen G.; Mbatia, O. L. E.
    Aims: Low and declining levels of crop and livestock productivities in the Kenyan agriculture have been attributed to the low application of the key farm inputs. Measures to encourage application of farm inputs with the highest effect on farm output in a given agro-ecological zone (AEZs) have been hampered by lack of adequate and reliable research-based information to guide the choices. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the elasticity of farm output for some selected farm inputs across three different agro-ecological zones (AEZs) in Kenya, using data collected from Embu County in Eastern Kenya as a case study. Place and Duration of Study: The sample was collected from three agro-ecological zones, namely Sunflower, Coffee and Tea zones, in Embu county, Eastern Kenya between June 2015 and November 2016. Methodology: The data was collected from a sample comprising 384 farms that were randomly selected using multi-stage stratified sampling employing probability proportionate to size sampling procedures. A stochastic log-linearized Cobb-Douglas production function was used to estimate the elasticity of output for the key factors of production. Results: The elasticity of farm output for labour was found to be significant and positive in the Sunflower (p=.000), Coffee (p=.000) and Tea (p=.000) zones. The elasticity of farm output for fertilizer was significant and positive in the Sunflower (p=.02) and Tea (p=.01) zones. It was only in the Sunflower (p=.01) Zone where the elasticity of farm output for land was found to be significant. Conclusion: The study recommended that measures be put in place to increase labour usage in the three agro-ecological zones. The study also recommended for increased fertilizer usage in the Sunflower and Tea zones.